rasp 1 of 2

as in scratch
a harsh grating sound the rusted lock opened with a rasp

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rasp

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to rub
to make smooth by friction after sawing the board in half, rasp the ends to remove any splinters

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2
as in to scratch
to pass roughly and noisily over or against a surface the sound of fingernails rasping on the blackboard makes me cringe

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3
4

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rasp
Noun
The Chicks were really big on my radar, and Faith Hill—I was obsessed with her voice, the rasp in it. As Told To Perrie Samotin, Glamour, 9 June 2025 Of all of Cyrus’s vocal gifts, perhaps the most pronounced is her rare ability to add a rasp to any line without ever sacrificing volume. Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 5 June 2025
Verb
The Argentina legend stepped up and rasped the ball into the top corner. Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025 While Mullan’s natural voice shares Shankly’s rasping quality, their inflexions are different. Simon Hughes, The Athletic, 20 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rasp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rasp
Noun
  • Made from scratch-resistant ABS plastic, these bags are lightweight and durable and feel much higher-quality than their price suggests.
    Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 6 Oct. 2025
  • From start to finish, buying this tiny home on Amazon is truly like building your dream home from scratch—all from the comfort of your computer.
    Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Once the brush is clean, gently rub the bristles on a clean hand towel.
    Cody Godwin, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Yet another reason to make this rub yourself.
    Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • To determine whether a branch is dead or just dormant, scrape some of the bark away.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Data from Revelio Labs, which scrapes professional networking sites like LinkedIn, show a gain of 60,000 jobs last month, mostly in healthcare and education.
    Danny Bakst, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In practice, Musk bowed to authoritarian governments or banned critical journalists when their reporting annoyed him.
    Jacob Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Joe proceeded to get drunk, annoy her (and multiple other cast members), and ultimately exit the party early to pass out in his room.
    Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The evidence that Song was the shooter comes from a green mask the assailant wore from which samples that tested positive for Song’s DNA were taken and from interviews with cooperating sources, FBI Special Agent Clark Wiethorn testified at the hearing.
    Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Oct. 2025
  • In a recent campaign ad, Van Epps wears an Army uniform throughout the entire ad with patches and insignia removed.
    Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The town’s departments are squeezed into tight quarters where the floor creaks with each step and thin walls make no conversation truly private.
    Briah Lumpkins, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Inside the Sámi church, centuries-old wood creaks under candlelight—while at Nutti Sámi Siida (a reindeer lodge offering traditional Sámi experiences), visitors sip warm lingonberry juice and listen to joik songs.
    Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • In a phone call with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette shortly after the petition was filed, Richardson mostly declined to comment on his own health and the recall effort.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Among the initial misdemeanor charges filed against Sanchez was public intoxication.
    Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Daily Stride Comfort No-show Socks There is nothing that bugs me more than no-show socks that curl up underneath your foot minutes into wearing them.
    Melony Forcier, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025
  • At the end of the 19th century, Phylloxera bugs infected vineyards across Europe but a solution was found, and viticulture adapted and continued.
    Miguel A. Torres, Time, 3 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rasp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rasp. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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